Railroad-car coupling.



No. 853,923. I I PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

J. GRAUVOGL. .RAILROAD GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JANJA, 1907.

J OSEF GRAUVOGL, OF PLAIN, WISCONSIN.

RAILROAD-CAI: COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JosEF GRAUVOGL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plain, county of Sank and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Car Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in railroad-car couplers; and the objects of my improvement are to provide first, an automatic car coupler, which is simple of construction and positive in its operation; second, to afford facilities for coupling and uncoupling cars, expeditiously and safely without the danger of loss of life and limb encountered by going between the ends of the cars and over or between the tracks in order to couple and uncouple cars, and. to promote a safe and expeditious uncoupling of cars while the train is in motion.

The essential features of my invention are, the ease with which the coupler may be set ready for action, and the automatic method of making the coupling.

In the drawings; Figure 1. is a sideview, showing both sides of the buffer, with links set and unset; Fig. 2 is atop view, showing links set and unset; Fig. 3 is a detailed bottomview, with arts broken away, to more {gully illustrate the operation of the coupler olt.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring by letters to the figures, A is the body of a car to which is attached a buffer B, also a bracket C, the latter forming a bearing for the operation of a part of my mechanism. Pivotally secured to buffer B by means of a bolt rivet D is link C the link having one of its bifurcated parts longer than the other, and extending beyond its pivotal fastening into an arm I; pivotally secured to the free end of the arm F is a rod J which has the other end pivotally secured to a crank lever I, the latter being rigidly secured by means of a bolt H and an operating lever G, said bolt I-I having bearing in bracket C.

Permanently secured to the bottom of the buffer B are lugs Q, which are adapted topass through elongated openings S in coupler bolt O, and loosely retain the latter by means of pins R, passing through the ends of said lugs Q. Permanently secured to the bottom of the buffer B is a stop catch U, against which a coil spring V is adapted to exert a constant pressure; the other end of said coil Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 14, 1907. Serial No. 352,330.

Patented May 14, 1907.

spring V exerting a jpressure against another lug '1, formed by t e turning down of the rear end of coupler bolt 0. Pivotally secured to the side of the bulfer B, by means of a pin K, is a lock catch K, which is adapted to be pivotally secured to coupler bolt 0,

and by means of a hook L at the free end of the lock catch K the said lock catch is adapted to engage the catch pin M of the arm F when the machine is set for coupling.

The coupler bolt 0 at the front end is bent down at a right angle forming the head 0 which serves to push back the coupler bolt 0 when the buffers come together for con ling releasing catch L from the catch pin M a lowing link C to engage a hook E.

Link C is adapted to engage the hook E, the latter bein oval at its base tapering to a point and ang ing in the opposite direction from that in which the pull comes. The form of this hook gives great strength, provides for ease in locking and allows great freed om and pivotal motion of the link upon the hook in rounding curves.

The operation of my device is as follows, Assuming that my device is at normal, grasp operating lever G and give a downward pull. This through crank lever I and rod J will exert a downward pressure on arm F and cause link C to raise in position. At the same time catch pin M comes in contact with lock catch K and is engaged by the hook L and the device is locked and ready to make a coupling. The act of coupling is now performed by the coming in contact of the coupler bolt heads 0. This movement presses an arm of said link adapted to be manually 1 actuated, a spring controlled coupling bolt, a lock catch pivotally secured to said buffer for engagement with said couplingbolt, and a catch pin for said arm adapted for engagement with said lock catch substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic coupler, a solid buffer and having an upright hook, a link, an arm rigidly secured to said link, an operating lever and an intermediate rod connecting said lever With said arm, a catch pin for said arm and a lock catch adapted for engage ment With said catch pin, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic coupler, a link, a single raising and controlling arm rigidly attached to said link, an operatmg lever and intermediate rod connecting said lever With said arm in combination with the catch pin, a lock catch and a spring controlled coupling bolt, so arranged and constructed as to lufld the said link in an upright position until released by impact of the coupler bolts substantially as set forth. 

